


Chiquitita

by t_hanson



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Comfort, F/F, Grief/Mourning, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, I'm a slut for bellow, Threats, a little bit of romance, more implied than anything else but I will always try and fit it in one way or another
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-26
Updated: 2018-11-26
Packaged: 2019-08-30 01:14:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16755031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/t_hanson/pseuds/t_hanson
Summary: After the death of Pink, White feels Blue has mourned enough and decides to comfort her the way she knows how.





	Chiquitita

**Author's Note:**

> I bet you're thinking I'm at it again with these ABBA references and you'd be right.
> 
> This is more loosely based but I'd really suggest listening to the song again, more in the mindset that it's White talking. It fits so well. Also, I was a little inspired by that scene in Coraline where the other mother sews Whybie's mouth into a smile. This isn't that dark but that's just the vibe I had in mind....
> 
> Anyway, here it is. I'm not completely convinced but... just take it.

“Blue Diamond, your presence is required.”

Amid the obscurity of a once luminous chamber, a faint whimper was the sole indication of life within. A canopied platform was raised in the centre of the room, intended for privacy and rest. Draped across it lay a pitiful figure. The interruption had caused her weeping to cease. A path well-travelled, she allowed the last of her tears to fall onto the sheets below. Fearsome in their intensity, irises of shimmering azure peered across to regard their visitor.

Blue emitted an audible sniff, somewhat abashed that she had been found in such a state. If it had been any other voice, she would have requested they leave, but this could not be ignored. The visit marked the beginning of impatience- a hardly unexpected event. She supposed she had been fortunate to be given the time she had. 

She took her time to wipe the remaining tears from her face, watching White’s Pearl drift towards her, the tip of her shoes barely grazing the stone below. Her own Pearl was by the door, not once revealing how she felt about the other’s presence. On occasion, Blue had wanted to question her. She wanted to know what she thought of that thing. The way the dull grey of her eye watched unblinkingly, as it was then, and the permanent smile on her face. Always polite, always dutiful. The way White liked them. 

Abruptly, the Pearl came to a halt, remaining dutifully at the foot of the platform. Her eye never raised to meet the Diamond’s. In response, Blue’s Pearl slowly advanced to stand beside her, neither saying a word. 

Blue knew she had to stand, to make an adequate effort to obey. That was the least she could do. Besides, if she refused to move then the decision would be made for her. She would not disgrace her own authority by being disciplined as if she were a defective gem. 

With a low sigh, she stood. The movement was silently regarded, no sentiment visible in the Pearl’s dull gaze as the Diamond ascended before her. Any other being would have trembled in the shadow of a titan. Such indifference was disconcerting and Blue felt her glower lessen, clasping her hands together as they were engulfed in a pod of white. 

It was incomprehensible how her own Pearl cowered from her owner, while the one before them had no concept of whose presence she stood in. She never questioned how the thing had come to be that way. Somewhere in the recesses of her mind, Blue already knew the answer. A reminder that her jurisdiction was a gift and could be taken away as easily as it was given. It all meant nothing if that was what her creator decided. 

Her personal quarters were not far from White’s. Surveying the central plaza within their capital, the achromatic sculpture sat adjacent to all. At times, Blue would hate to be so close. Even if the monument had no eyes, it would be unwise to assume they weren’t being watched. The only comfort was that, if she looked straight ahead, she would see Yellow’s quarters. Rarely inhabited but there, nonetheless. 

Inhaling sharply, she recalled the last time she had been summoned- the moment she had returned to Homeworld, a bubble containing pink shards floating above her open palm, and the immediate summons for her and Yellow. Understandable, considering the circumstances. 

Since then, Blue had been allowed time to contemplate the events on Earth, but that time had come to an end. And there she had remained, in her chambers. Part of her had waited intentionally, questioning how long it would take before it was considered a personal affront. Now, she knew. Patience was a virtue and White was the most virtuous. That did not make her a fool. 

With a swift motion, the pod opened and Blue raised a hand to her chest to calm whatever troubled feeling was residing there. She glanced down to find White’s Pearl already being enveloped by the wall behind. Her own Pearl refused to watch, her gaze fixed ahead. Blue didn’t want to look in that direction. She allowed herself one more second before she had to face the light. 

A soft sigh rang across the room, low and airy, followed by a small chuckle. 

“Hello, moonlight.”

Blue forced herself to turn, her body already bending to a bow. She used the motion as an excuse to not look at what lay at the centre of the platform. “My Diamond.”

“Now, now, there is no need for formality, is there?” Blackened lips curled into a smile. “We are among friends after all.” 

Blue stood, her gaze only rising as far as the thin waistline before her, the star-shaped grey that travelled upward, those bared legs, and the fabric that ran between them. The very fabric that she stood on. A courtesy that White deigned to extend to her kin. Even in contempt, Blue could admit she was a sight to behold. 

“Come here,” the voice rang out, balancing delicately in the hollow vacuum of her chamber. “No need to be shy.”

With a hesitant step, Blue drifted forward until she was at the top of the stairs. She looked down at the hem of her own skirt that pooled close to painted toes, a reflection of the same dark shade that decorated thin lips. In her distraction, she suddenly noted the feeling of something sharp scraping across her scalp, travelling through her hair. White had extended her hand, a touch that forever teetered between consolation and caution.

“How melancholy you are! It is a sad day, indeed, to see you like this. Everybody is grieved to know their precious Diamond has been reduced to such a state.”

White’s finger disentangled from her hair to reach out and lift Blue’s chin. As sapphire eyes squinted up at her, White widened her smile to reveal a row of radiant teeth, pointed and perfect. 

“We must find the solution, mustn’t we? We can’t have this. Tell, moonlight; why do you grieve so?”

Blue tried to lower her gaze but felt the fingers under her chin tug her head up higher. A surge of resentment engulfed her, unbearable but necessary to repress. Surely, no question needed to be asked. White, of all people, would know why Blue mourned. 

“I think of Pink often,” she admitted, her voice strangled by rage. She hoped it was mistaken for sorrow. “It is hard for me to think of anything else.”

White’s smile did not lessen at her confession, amusement dancing in her vacant pupils. “Oh, little one, has it not been long enough? Sunlight has been so grateful; she does what she must. She knows there is work to be done and we have all been patient, haven’t we? You have lingered too long on futile sentiment. A lesser gem would not have been extended such courtesy.”

Her fingers withdrew from Blue’s chin, the Diamond’s head dropping slightly at the lack of pressure. A long, thin nail lifted to caress Blue’s cheek, the sharpened point following the same path of long-shed tears. It did not end when she reached her chin, continuing down to her throat and pressing slightly against the skin. 

“You know preservation is of the utmost important. It is vital to our existence.” White hesitated, the edge of her smile lessening slightly. “But you have become unreliable. We all agree that you must be better, little one.”

Blue opened her mouth, but White’s voice was already floating across. 

“Good, that’s what we like to hear. You are such a clever one. Let’s hope we can all move forward from this little distraction and think nothing more of it.”

Her nail lessened its pressure on her throat, the hand curling around Blue’s shoulder instead. She began to turn her around, slowly. If Blue had wanted to remain where she was, she said nothing. She felt only White’s thumb as it traced the hair that fell down her back and the one finger that was stroking her cheek. 

“We mustn’t forget who we are. Grief is inconsequential to us.”

Blue wished she could voice her disagreement. They had been promised eternity, only to find that it had been a lie. She could not sit and say nothing, knowing they had made a fatal error in believing their life couldn’t be taken from them. They had paid the price in their callowness, only to find one of them hadn’t mourned at all. 

“All of it will be over in no time,” White soothed, her smile widening once more. 

The hand on her shoulder had moved and Blue thought she would be dismissed, but within a second, she felt the hand enclose around her throat. Her mouth gasped open, the sound of her struggle painfully clear in the vast space as she was lifted upward. Blue clawed at the fingers around her neck, knowing she wouldn’t escape unless it was permitted. The more she fought, the tighter the grip. 

“You have so much to be grateful for,” White continued, seemingly oblivious to the struggling life in her hands. “You have your colonies, your subjects… You were even allowed to have your way with sunlight. You have been given the universe and in return, you are unhappy.”

Letting out a choked sob, Blue stopped clawing at the fingers, holding onto them instead. Her tears fell atop the ivory skin before dropping to the floor below. The grip lessened slightly and Blue took advantage of the opportunity. 

“Please,” she begged. 

If the plea registered in White’s mind, she showed no recognition, carrying on as if she had heard nothing. 

“But you will smile and sing once more, moonlight. That is a promise.”

She lowered her head to look Blue in the eye, her lips twisted into a knowing grin. The barely-traceable grey of her irises glinted, as if she were sharing a secret that the other Diamond could never comprehend. There was a moment of silence, clear pupils studying the struggling gasps that fell from Blue’s lips. 

“We only wish for your happiness,” White pressed on, eager for her to understand. Some sentiment akin to pity showed on her face. “Now, don’t forget to smile, Blue.”

Blue released a cry of agony as she felt her neck snap to the side, each fibre of her being screaming towards the source of pain. She felt herself recoil from the fracture as her body warned her of the irreparable damage. With a rush of air, her form retreated in a flash of light, her stone clattering to the floor. The sound resonated around the chamber, leaving only a hush in its wake. 

When nothing was said, Blue’s Pearl gradually looked up to the Diamond before her, having remained where she had been left. White returned her stare. Blackened lips reduced to a resting smile, only a slight curve displaying her graciousness. She lifted her colossal foot, the edge of her sandal nudging the gem forward. The Pearl tried not to wince as she watched the stone roll down the stairs, each clink against the stone painful. She knew what would follow. It would be wiser to let it happen, knowing disobedience would only lead to something worse. 

“Come and get your Diamond.” 

White partially lowered her lids to watch the Pearl obey. Following instruction, the Pearl slowly advanced, her dainty feet pattering against the floor. She was not permitted to stand on the carpet, the one that extended from White’s dress, her feet tracing a parallel path on the stone. As she reached the gem, the Pearl felt her gaze run over the unblemished navy surface, grateful that her fringe hid the terror in her eyes. She reached out to hoist the cool stone into her arms, cradling it for safety. As her back straightened, the Pearl noticed the shadow of a hand reaching down. Her head flicked upward, a small gasp escaping, before the claw enveloped her body. 

Ø

Doors slid open, the disturbed room illuminated only by the corridor outside. A figure blocked the light, their shadow stretching across the floor. Halfway through an eye-roll, Yellow stepped into the room, her voice ringing across the dark. 

“Honestly, Blue. I had to fill the reports myself. You said that you…”

She halted when her gaze finally rested on the empty platform that sat in the centre of the room. Her brow creased, slowly running her gaze along the floor until it reached two objects a foot away from her. 

Covered by her shadow, the two gems lay on the floor, almost as if they had been carelessly dropped there. It took Yellow a moment to comprehend what had happened. Once, it may have infuriated her but she found only an absence of feeling, reaching down to take the larger stone in her hand. The weight was a comfort, appreciative that she had anything to hold at all. She held it up and pressed the cool surface against her lips. Against her skin, she could feel the vitality circulating within the gem, a promise that all was well. 

“My Diamond?”

Yellow glanced down, pulling the gem away from her lips. 

Her Pearl squirmed under her attention, knowing the delicacy of the situation. “Would you like me to take Her Grandeur to your chambers?” 

In the distant past, the answer would have been different. It was a routine of theirs. They had promised to wait, one always with the other so they would not reform alone. Yet, Yellow had made a promise that she would not bother Blue, in any respect. That was what Blue had wanted when she retreated to her chambers to mourn. Now, neither waited. Yellow would not break that promise, no matter how much she felt the consequence of it. She was only doing what was asked of her. 

Staring down at the gem in her hand, fascinated by the way it glinted in the light, she felt her fingers tighten on it for a second. Then she sighed. 

“No, it would be best to leave them here. She needs time alone. She has to learn.”

Yellow stepped up to the platform, slipping the diamond onto a cushion and ensuring it was nestled securely on top. Old routine required her to kiss it, for luck and love, but those times had passed. Peering over her shoulder, she called for her Pearl. The attendant obeyed her command, carrying the smaller, rounder gem in her hand. She stepped onto Yellow’s waiting hand, lifted to the cushions further away from the other, and placed the pearl carefully on the silk covering. Pausing, she stared at it for a moment before she was placed back onto the floor. 

With her Pearl back where she belonged, Yellow also stared at the gem she had placed down, a blur of thoughts and memories flashing through her mind. Mixtures of blue and pink, perhaps a dash of green. All those moments that were now a memory. Yellow wished she could appease her. She wished she could give Blue everything she needed, that perhaps she may one day be enough, but that hadn’t been what she wanted. Times had changed; they had changed. 

Spinning on her heel, Yellow strode out of the chamber, hearing the pat of her Pearl’s feet behind her. The door slid closed behind them. She hardly noticed, still thinking furiously. There was no other choice than to be satisfied. They had their subjects, colonies, White… And White had been clear. There was no time for grief. For beings that had eternity, there was no time at all.

**Author's Note:**

> A shoutout, yet again, to @AllKindsofEverything because you know she was involved one way or another. Her comments give me life. 
> 
> Also, if anyone's interested, you can drop me an ABBA song and I'll see if I can write something for it. I've got loads lined up but it's whether I can actually write them. 
> 
> I have written other stuff that isn't based off their music but I've started this journey, now I have to finish it.


End file.
